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The Midwife

Name: The Midwife
Director: Antti J. Jokinen
Released: 2015
Duration: 119 min

Representation Score

4.0/10

Fair

2015

Director

Antti J. Jokinen

Runtime

119 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Midwife is a traditional historical drama that emphasizes individual resilience and romantic tension over complex social issues. While the female lead avoids passive clichés by actively navigating a harsh war environment, the narrative remains conventional. The film uses the geopolitical backdrop of the Lapland War to drive its plot, yet it focuses on the personal connection between a Finnish woman and a German-Finnish officer. This focus limits the exploration of broader ethnic or cultural nuances. Ultimately, the film adheres to established storytelling patterns without challenging social or cultural norms.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Midwife have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film centers on a relationship between Helena and Johannes that follows traditional heterosexual norms. There are no queer narratives or non-cisgender identities represented in the story.

How does The Midwife portray gender?

Fair

Helena is a proactive protagonist who transitions from midwifery to nursing in a war camp. She shows professional competence but her motivations are tied to a traditional romantic storyline.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Midwife?

Fair

The Lapland War setting includes Finnish, German, and Soviet interests. However, the story focuses on personal and romantic tensions rather than exploring broader racial or ethnic intersections.

How does The Midwife represent religion and culture?

Fair

The narrative explores the trauma of war and imprisonment through individual experiences. It focuses on personal suffering rather than critiquing broader systemic issues or specific ideological movements.

Does The Midwife include disability representation?

Minimal

The available information does not mention characters dealing with physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Present on Screen

The female protagonist demonstrates strong professional competence and active involvement in the war environment.

Limited or Absent

The narrative relies on traditional romantic structures centered around heterosexual relationships.
The story lacks depth in exploring broader racial, ethnic, or multi-layered complexities.
There is an absence of diverse representation regarding LGBTQ+ identities or disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Helena has worked as a kind of midwife on the eve of the Lapland War. She wants to leave everything behind, and a suitable opportunity arises when she falls in love with a German-Finnish officer Johannes, who is leaving to German-led Titovka prison camp in the Soviet Union. Helena enlists into the camp as a nurse, where she experiences the brutality of war.

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